[Training] sword of a big deal

MELITA

For as frequent as Melita fought – in many situations – she’d rarely, if ever, ventured towards the barracks. She wasn’t keen on any sort of organization or regimented outlook. Following orders, unless they were by Flora, other friends and family, and Ludo, were also infrequent; she’d learned how to survive long enough to ensure she had multiple skills across a range of weapons. Plus the thought of listening to someone lecture her didn’t seem even remotely appealing – the likelihood of tuning them out was far too high anyway.

So when she walked by the training grounds she only took a glance over – recognizing some of the soldiers who meandered through, but not bothering to say anything. Skipping along though, she noticed Kaisel in the lineup, and she gave him a brief wave. “Hey!” she shouted, cupping her hands around her mouth to ensure the sound traveled, attention granted. “Don’t ever fucking channel me in the ocean again!”

See I've come to burn your kingdom down

I'm a force that you will dread, set me on fire, I'm still alive

Finishing up some drills with his squadron, Kaisel is focused on the commands being given and the motions they sweep through as one. So, he doesn't notice Mel right away, bot until she's shouting over at the group. Even then, he's tuning it out a touch, trying to stay in the zone to master the hand placement and foot work of the series of defensive maneuvers being described. A soldier near him elbows him though, nodding towards Mel when Kaisel looks over.

His 'brows lift up in recognition, a silent yeah!, what? return, which she swiftly answers and he breaks out in a wide grin before laughing. The drill ends about then, thankfully so or he would have been reprimanded before long for the distraction, so he hustles over to Mel's side. "OKAY, but, you totally can walk on water, which is like so badass, and you would have been fine if you didn't fall asleep??? What's that about, why doesn't Ludo give you super charged up—" he trails off as he devolves into some finger guns that blast towards a nearby wall, sound effects added for good measure as he scrunches his face up with the effort of aim. "Anyway, sorry. Not my best moment, I agree. You good?"

Kaisel

Bet you didn't think that I'd come back to life, stronger

MELITA

She waited, though not very patiently, nose already wrinkled and trying to gauge if she’d been mad about the situation or just bewildered. In the passing days, it’d gone from stunned acceptance to the brutal reality that so many things could’ve gone horrifically wrong, all in a matter of seconds. She’d never seen anyone channeled actually go into physical danger, unless they’d stayed for a prolonged amount of time, but maybe it’d been her magic, and the series of circumstances that had ensured far more treachery than she’d ever anticipated. “Listen, you didn’t even fucking tell me what you wanted,” she started instead, hands rising in exclamation. “So I used my wild magic, but what if I’d actually hit Flora-,”

But she ceased and desisted, shutting her mouth in an audible click against teeth and tongue when he apologized. “Maybe,” because some part of her wanted vengeance for potential death. “Wanna fight it out or something?”

See I've come to burn your kingdom down

I'm a force that you will dread, set me on fire, I'm still alive

Oh, she's not just Mel mad, she's mad mad. Kaisel blinks for a moment, mouth still open but stunned into silence because he had not expected to be lectured. He doesn't balk at it, not entirely, after all it's already been made clear to him that what he considered a friendly little boost had much further reaching consequences than he could have ever realized, not the least of which had been his blue balls or Flora's mild spiral (the depths of which he is still clueless to).

"Wha—I asked you to help me with the race, why would you attack Flora!?" He definitely doesn't realize how disorienting being snapped into an entirely new situation, with no prior warning and very little time to take it in and properly react is like. He's positive though, that it does not need to go so poorly as that time had. He's also still certain that her magic is wildly unhelpful.

Trying not to climb up the ladder of possible fuck ups here and definitely not aiming to make this worse, even if he's trying to take some accountability while wondering what the fuck, he considers her idea. Fighting has always helped him and Koa, and there's a lot about Mel that's familiar in that way. "O-okay, but," he holds up two hands in deference. "Don't go all out or I'm toast." He can see her offer for what it is, hey lemme beat your ass so I'm not mad any more. As for him? He plans to let her vent a bit, and won't be hitting back, as it feels like an unnecessary spark here. He could use the practice dodging, apply some of the drills they just went over as a squad.

Warily, he eases back into a fighting stance before her, nodding when he's ready for her to come at him.

Kaisel

Bet you didn't think that I'd come back to life, stronger

MELITA

Kaisel hadn’t seen Melita mad mad. This wasn’t the sort of fury that lined her bones or trapped her in caustic, unwinding vengeance; just the type that settled into her gut and stayed there until she layered and figured things out. Sometimes that required force or an ease into the restlessness, or hells, perhaps just a good, old-fashioned bludgeoning. “I didn’t say I’d attack Flora, but its wild magic, so-,” and then she was wondering how it had come to be her fault. “Sometimes it's lightning, sometimes I turn into a fuckin’ frog.” Her eyes narrowed, a shrug rambling through her shoulders, certainly not conveying everything bound up and tightening through her spine. “I was trying for the ducks, honestly.” Then she huffed, a whirlwind of maelstrom considerations endlessly spiraling from one notion to the other. “Just think about shit before you call for one of us, okay? We only get a few seconds to figure out what the fuck is going on.” And even then, she hadn’t really – not truly – assessed any of the situation at all.

Maybe she would’ve figured out some portions, but then it was gone again, only to be summoned thereafter to check on her safety. Which, in fairness, had been kind and thoughtful, but gods she’d still been too stunned to know what the fuck had happened in the interim. And cold. And a little apprehensive about her role.

Perhaps that was a line in the sand too – her helpfulness versus the occupation settled upon her. Ludo’s demigod had been summoned for chaos, and not necessarily obliging, charitable, and beneficial means. While her herald might have found it wholly amusing and worthwhile, others might not have felt the same…and then she could understand why it’d been the first time anyone had bothered to send for her.

Wondering why she was beginning to hurt her own gods damned feelings, her face turned mulish. "Yeah, yeah, sure,” probably sounded like a false promise, but she was already hopping the fence into the training grounds, watching as he backed up. She hadn’t gone off in hand-to-hand combat in a long while, and she knew her strength; understood the layers beyond the god powers. So while she wound up, it wasn’t with all that keen vigilance and violence; stoked just enough to fire her fist towards his right shoulder.

--

¼. Melita tries to punch Kaisel in the right shoulder (lightly).

See I've come to burn your kingdom down

I'm a force that you will dread, set me on fire, I'm still alive

"Lightning!?" he croaks out, eyes widening with the understanding of just what potential harm they had all been brushed with. In that case, they probably all would have taken some damage, what with the sea and all.

He's still chewing over these thoughts when they get into position, having fallen silent afterwards, her words bouncing around from one consideration to another. He doesn't immediately speak when they begin either because, yeah, it didn't sound like she meant it much when she agreed to hold back. She seems committed to just getting it all out with a punch or two though rather than more accusations, but, curiosity killed the cat as they say and meow bitch.

His gaze traces the draw of her fists, her guard, the balancing stance of her body. He can't predict every move she makes, but the first comes without the flurry of them already in motion, one strike, and to it he answers with the practice of a soldier who has done a lot of hand to hand training. He dips his shoulder back, just out of reach, body pivoting in one entire, fluid motion with foot and hip too. He would normally have followed up with a drive from his left fist, a give and take between them, but he punches out with wonder instead as he resets into the usual stance with a snap of his body back into place. "Why would you use wild magic if you can't control what happens?"

---

1/4 Kai dodges

Kaisel

Bet you didn't think that I'd come back to life, stronger

MELITA

His response only fanned the flames as he dodged; she could feel the white-hot flare behind her eyes at the inquiry – as if he hadn’t heard a damn word she’d said. “What would you have liked me to use? Go invisible? Shoot an arrow?” No direction from him, no weapons on her, pulled away from bonfires and celebrations to be utilized for something, and now being scorned because of it? She could feel her vitriol and insecurities rising through every breath scalding in her chest, defiant and incensed, a hiss pulled through her teeth. “If you’ve got a better suggestion next time, maybe fucking say it.” It hadn’t been a battle, where she could’ve mauled to her delight, pulled her weight in acrimony and violence. It’d been nothing more than a moment of, what she’d believed, as play and fun and amusements – that could’ve been wrecked so instantly, so precisely –

Her moves were swift and quick, fueled by hostility and her insecurities, unpredictable and likely just as wild as her magic. She dodged the punch closing in towards her; making a lunge in the opposing direction. But then she came back, strides sweeping, as she attempted to make a kick towards his shins.

--

2/4. Mel dodges. Tries to kick him in the shins.

See I've come to burn your kingdom down

I'm a force that you will dread, set me on fire, I'm still alive

Confusion worms in and furrows his features with considerable thought as they shift around each other. "I dunno, I figured you're all strong and shit you coulda done something!" He figured she's fun and always down to stir up some shit, so she seemed the best one to call, and the one least to cause problems at possibly glimpsing either of them nude (which thankfully hasn't been another one of her complaints, yet - hopefully she never even realized it).

Her request is one he considers though, softening more than he means in the moment of battle as he thinks on it. "Is it really that like, weird and crazy, just popping in?!" There's a touch of awe to the lift of his 'brows as he asks, curious what it'd been like, and how his voice reaches her through the ether. "So, if I asked for the ducks, that would've helped? How much can you hear, y'know, before you arrive?" She takes that moment to strike though, and his gaze is still focused on her fists, but this is no drill. Her foot comes swift and hard, striking his shin with a snap of the same irritation behind her words. He tries to lift up his leg and swing it away at the bend of the knee, catching her momentum and turning it away into somethin more harmless, but he's not fast enough. He sucks in through his teeth and leaps back, wincing though it. "Owww..." He does his best to get back in position and be ready for her next strike, hand or foot.

---

2/4 Kai tries to block but fails and gets kicked in the shin

Kaisel

Bet you didn't think that I'd come back to life, stronger

MELITA

“So you wanted me to hit Flora?” The way her brows furrowed indicated confusion and now incensed proclivities for her friend; a maelstrom beginning to build and brew throughout this stupefying and bewildering conversation. That Kaisel didn’t seem to know what was going on, despite snagging and pulling demigods from the ether, made something barb at her spine, and she clenched her jaw, ground her teeth, to keep from snapping another multitude away.

The question thereafter wasn’t what she expected though, and she tilted her head, some of the fumes fading away. “Yeah – that was my first time,” and not a grand experience, she’d admit. “I didn’t – I wasn’t prepared, so like,” she flailed her hands as if to express nothing had been ready. “I could hear most of what you said, but we only have a few seconds.” It wasn’t as though she were omniscient. She still didn’t have a clue as to what they’d really been up to – well beyond races amidst the sea. “If you know what you want us to do, that’d be way more helpful.” Perhaps advice for any other individuals he called. “And also not in the fucking sea,” she added, again, before snorting as her foot made impact with his shin.

When he did nothing but wince, she shrugged, rounding towards his back, where she strived to strike her first towards his ribcage.

3/4 Mel tries to punch Kai in the ribs

See I've come to burn your kingdom down

I'm a force that you will dread, set me on fire, I'm still alive

"NOOOOOO!!!" The whiplash he nearly gives himself from reeling back so fast at that insane idea almost does him in. Instead, he sputters, choking on his own spit for a moment as he tries to get a grip on the fuck nonsense she's talking about. "I just meant, you're stronger than me, I thought you'd have something helpful!? Something that wouldn't harm anyone! Something fun, since you're a Ludo demi and all." He supposes if lightning had been possible, he's glad they ended up on a scary nap. The more he learns of Ludo, the less convinced he is of the 'tricks' being all that haha funny though. Remi was his hitman, and Mel is just...down to hit anything, herself included.

His own disappointment rises further. Not just in her, but in his lacking too. He thought...he thought he'd been ready, he thought it'd be fun, he thought there'd be a helluva lot consequences than this. "It was my first time too," he says low, shoulders slumping in a bit, guard faltering with the confession. He blows out a breath, one of his guarding fists tumbling along with it as he talks. "Sorry, I guess...I'm used to spirits. They can do a lot of random shit and they don't get—mad." Probably should have called a spirit instead of her, in hindsight. Likely could have made a wave to push him along and past Flora.

Distracted as he is by the conversation, something his commander would scowl at, Kaisel has enough muscle memory and intent still present to react to her oncoming strike. He throws his forearm down to bar her hit, a movement meant to slide against her momentum and send it away, his goal still purely defensive as he also slides away on a pivot of his heel. She nearly connected though, and the force of it lands hard on his arm. He adds some distance back into the mix, watching her carefully now, because she fucking hurts.

"Agreed no more sea. And look, I'm sorry, I'll keep everything you said in mind for the next time."

---

3/4 blocks her hit with his forearm and swings away with his feet, putting in some distance

Kaisel

Bet you didn't think that I'd come back to life, stronger

MELITA

Melita’s features mauled into evident confusion, brows furrowing again while the rest altered amidst bewilderment. “I mean – if I’d had my sled or something, yeah, but like, most of my stuff is built for trickery and beating shit up. Plus sometimes you guys are pulling us from places where we don’t have everything.” In so far, she’d been yet to gain something that wasn’t overtly hazardous. There were times when the wild magic ranged from mild and insubstantial, like applause or confetti, to rampant and destructive, but that was by chance, a Ludo roulette. Relying wholly on assumptions wasn’t going to get them anywhere, and she had to wonder about the broad portions of demigods…and how many times similar things like this had occurred.

She diminished only a little when he confessed it’d been his first time too, and then it seemed they were both floundering over the confusion and ignorance. Still, maybe because she’d been an Accepted well before, she’d thought them all equipped and educated on some manner. Though his last comment had her eyes rolling. “You mean you don’t have to deal with the consequences after,” she snorted, huffing, still bothered but perhaps less ruffled. Barbs remained notched in her spine, but probably for her own thoughts and multitudes later, when she could pout to herself.

At least he could agree on no more ocean calling, even as he pivoted away from most of her fury. She drove onward, despite his defensive posturing, swinging her fist on a less-driving maelstrom towards his stomach. “Good.”

--

4/4 Mel tries to punch Kai in the stomach.

See I've come to burn your kingdom down

I'm a force that you will dread, set me on fire, I'm still alive

It is true that he did his best to keep up with the whos and the whats of demigods, specifically so he'd maximize his potential for success. It's one thing to study though, and another to apply the knowledge in the heat of the moment, especially for someone like him that does best with the physical learning, building security with the repetition of doing rather than repeating mantras in his head with little rhymes to help him remember. Then of course there's always change. Demigods coming and going, abilities being added to their arsenal, sometimes quietly. Then one has to consider personalities or situations too, for instance, he'd never be asking for Vesper's help in his eandeavors, and would not have risked Flora's family in that skinny dipping situation. He could have done better, surely, but he'd though something other than worried chaos could have risen from the summons. Now he knows.

He sighs dramatically at her insinuation. "No, that's not what I meant," but she isn't entirely wrong either. The spirits don't come back to call him an idiot, although he could maybe assume some of the less favorable responses in Wildering house are thanks to old summons. He doesn't summon them to avoid the consequences though. "It's just, different," he stresses, but they continue to move around the issue physically. She comes in sharp and sudden, his guard slackening with the decline in their verbal spar. He doesn't have enough time to evade entirely, so he swings one of his blocking hands down, redirecting her blow more towards the side of his body. The lack of the direct hit is helpful, but the glancing strike is no picnic stroll either. He grunts with the effort and the absorption of the hit, pivoting further away from it on his planted foot and swinging his body sideways and away from the full reach.

"Ooof," is the sounds that meets their shaky agreement of no more ocean summons. Panting a bit with the effort of it all, he glances up at her with a squint while he breathes through the ripple of low grade hurt, Recovering his stance, he assess if they're continuing, or if she's as done as he feels. "So, are we good?"

---

4/4 Kai tries to redirect with his arm and it glances off his side

Kaisel

Bet you didn't think that I'd come back to life, stronger

MELITA

One could argue any of these things were different – from the newfound schematics of channeling, to the sudden risk in being summoned during inappropriate moments and hours. All she did was roll her eyes at the comment though, huffing another snort that betrayed her feelings on the subject. Besides, there was more at play; the roll of her fist, barely making the connection she wanted. Perhaps she was used to others fighting back, taking and churning with the pummeling – so she wasn’t certain if any of this had come of use to her or Kai. Maybe, if there was an alteration in his gestures towards demigod orchestration; maybe then all the antics would’ve been worth it. A steep learning curve for several.

“I guess. For now,” she wrinkled her nose; lots of food for thought briming in her mind and some that really could only be answered by her own time to churn over the matters. “Unless you do some dumb shit again.” She didn’t emphasize the parameters on that; after all, she did said ridiculous notions much of the time. “Thanks for the fight. Catch ya around,” and she gave a wave before sauntering the way she’d arrived, chaos on the wind.

[FIN]

See I've come to burn your kingdom down